Government

KERSHAW – The town of Kershaw is adjusting the work schedule of employees in its street and utilities departments to give them a half day off in the middle of the week.
Starting May 1, those seven employees will work from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. with an hour for lunch on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays for a total of 34 hours. They will work from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (six hours) on Wednesdays with no lunch break.
Right now, the weekday schedule for utility workers is 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Squeezing in just before the deadline passed, two candidates are seeking the open District 5 seat on Lancaster City Council.

Nick Parris and Hazel Taylor filed Friday at the Lancaster County Voter Registration and Elections Office. The District 5 election is June 14, the same day as the statewide Democrat and Republican party primaries.

A revenue race is on, with Lancaster County Council trying to decide whether to impose the maximum 2 percent hospitality tax countywide before Indian Land can become an independent city in control of its own finances.

While the idea is still only at the committee level, the county would be rewarded by winning the race for the hospitality tax in the county’s growing, busy panhandle. Striking early in order to get half later seems worth the push.

A revenue race is on, with Lancaster County Council trying to decide whether to impose the maximum 2 percent hospitality tax countywide before Indian Land can become an independent city in control of its own finances.
While the idea is still only at the committee level, the county would be rewarded by winning the race for the hospitality tax in the county’s growing, busy panhandle. Striking early in order to get half later seems worth the push.

KERSHAW – The town of Kershaw’s procrastination almost cost it two state grants totaling $1 million to build a water tank at Haile Gold Mine, but the project is back on track and the town will get to keep the money.
The two S.C. Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) grants were awarded to the town in July 2015 for infrastructure projects at Haile Gold Mine that will help bring jobs to that part of the county.
Kershaw provides water service to the mining operation, which is about 3 miles east of the town on Haile Gold Mine Road.

So far, no candidates have filed to run for the vacant District 5 seat on Lancaster City Council.
“Nobody has even called to ask about it,” said Rick Crimminger, chairman of the Lancaster County Election Commission. “I’m surprised that some folks in one of the neighborhoods of the district haven’t come together about who they want to represent them on city council.”
The filing period ends at noon Friday.

The city of Lancaster will create an economic development incentive fund to help promote and recruit local commercial businesses within its borders.
City council unanimously voted Tuesday night to use the $25,000 it had originally budgeted for its 2015-16 Lancaster County Economic Development Corp. membership/participation dues as a start.
City officials severed ties with the in-limbo LCEDC in November 2015, choosing instead to support the county’s new economic development department.

With his hand on a Bible held by three of his grandchildren, John Howard was sworn in as Lancaster’s mayor Monday night at city hall.
Howard, the longest-serving member of Lancaster City Council, was elected Feb. 23 to fill the unexpired term of Joe Shaw, who died last November. Shaw’s widow, Charlotte, who had endorsed Howard for the job, attended the ceremony.

Months after local officials dissolved their relationship with the Lancaster County Economic Development Corp., plans are moving forward with the search for a director for Lancaster County’s new in-house department.
County Administrator Steve Willis says the county has hired Texas-based executive recruitment firm Waters & Co. to identify top candidates for the new position. The county had previously put the word out through local newspapers and economic development association websites, but felt a professional firm could help hasten the process.

A third candidate has entered the fray in the already crowded field for Lancaster County Council’s District 1 seat.
Van Wyck resident Terry Graham, owner of wedding venue and strawberry farm The Ivy Place, announced Thursday his intention to run for the seat being vacated by two-term Councilman Larry McCullough.